Foundry system for handling castings



A. E. MOSER FOUNDRY SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CASTINGS May 22, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed om. e, 1948 /NVENTOR; ALTON E.MOSER,

ATTY.

May 22, 1951 A. E. MOSER FOUNDRY SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CASTINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 6,1948

ATT

y 1951 A. E. MOSER 2,554,118

FOUNDRY SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CASTINGS Filed Oct. 6, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 17 4 //v VEN 7-0/2 ALTON EJ405122. 5y

ATT YQ May 22, 1951 A. E. MOSER FOUNDRY SYSTEM FOR' HANDLING CASTINGS Filed Oct. 6, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 L11 L21 L31 E I, @M WE N m L A ATT'Y.

Patented May 22, 1951 ERIE FOUNDRY SYSTEM .FORHANDLING CASTINGS Alton E. Moser, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Application October 6, 1948, Serial No. 53,127

This invention relates to .a foundry system particularly for handling castings after they have been passed over a vshakeout to remove sand.

An object of the invention is to provide a 5 Claims. (01.21451) Another objectof theinvention is to provide certain safety interlocks and. controls for the turntable and associated mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations bein set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying-drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing the turntable with two of the buckets in position and its relation with the trolley conveyor;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the turntable with three buckets in position thereon;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing particularly the positions of the various stations, the turntable, and its relative position with the trolley conveyor;

Fig. 4 is a piping diagram for the hydraulic system of various parts of the apparatus, certainlimit switches also being illustrated; and

Fig. 5 is an electrical wiring diagram of the system.

As illustrated particularly in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the trolley conveyor of my foundry hangers l2 each carrying a downwardly extendil'lg chain and hook [3 adapted releasably to receive and carry the bail It of a pivoted bucket 55 adapted to carry castings.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the trolley conveyor 18, ll makes a loop and mechanism is provided so that an operator the castings in another direction, for example, 'over the grizzly. This shakeout is preferably at'the floor level and consequently the castings as well as the sand will fall by gravity to a position below the floor level. The problem therefore is, of course, to get these castings'from this below floor level position into the buckets of the overhead trolley conveyor.

The normal floor of the building in which thefoundry'system' is located is designated 16. Below the floor l6 there'is a pit or' basement having a floor Il within which the loading and other apparatus is located. The castings to beloaded-are-received from the shakeout device, not shown, and delivered'to a conveyor I 8-which may be of the electrovibratory type'and may include one or more vibratory motors l9.

As illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings the twooppositeruns of the trolley conveyor 10, II are practically parallel. Directly opposite each other and below opposite runs of said trolley conveyorthere'isalarge circular openin inthe .floor 46, one of which openings is seen at 2|] in Fig. :1 of the drawings. These two openings designatethe empty and loaded bucket-positions, respectively, of the system. Thatis, theempty bucket position is-the position at which "empty buckets are removed from the trolley conveyor, while the :loaded bucket position is the position at which loaded buckets are attached to the trolley conveyor.

Midway between the empty position and the loaded position and on the arc of a circle is a loading position for the buckets 'in which they are loadedwith castings from the conveyor l8 while sitting ona turntable, as hereinafter described. When the buckets are in their lowered positions, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1

of the drawings-and as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, they are carried on a turntable 2! which includes a generally circular platform 22 mounted for rotation on a vertical or upright axis bya center shaft bearing 23 (see Fig. 2)

and which is driven from a rotary hydraulic motor 24 which has .a pinion gear meshing'with a largering gear 25, the ratio of the pinion gear to the ring gear being 4 to 1, so that for each completerotation of the pinion of motor 24 the turntable platform 22 will make a quarter of a I revolution.

ject inwardly from the edges of the openings 26, thereby supporting said buckets l5, while providing open center portions for the openings 26 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The periphery of the platform 22 is provided with a circular rail 28 adapted to roll on a plurality of supporting rollers 29. Below the turntable 2| and at the empty bucket position there is an elevating mechanism preferably in the form Y of a hydraulic ram or elevator 30. Said ram or elevator 30 has a head 3| which can project upwardly through any one of the holes 26. Said elevator 30 is employed to lower empty buckets as they are released by an attendant at the empty bucket position and to lower and deposit them at said empty bucket position onto the turntable 2|.

Diametrically opposite the ram or elevator 30 with respect to the turntable 2| and at the loaded bucket position there is another ram or elevator 32 which is a duplicate of elevator 30. The function of elevator 32 is to elevate loaded buckets l5 while at the loaded bucket position, thus lifting them from the turntable 2| into position to be hooked on to the trolley conveyor IO, N by the attendant.

Empty buckets l5 delivered to the turntable 2| at the empty bucket position are carried by the turntable 2| to the loading position adjacent the feeder I8 by rotating the turntable 90. After the bucket 5 has been loaded at the loading position the turntable 2| will be rotated another 90 to deliver it to.the loaded bucket position.

Simultaneously with rotation of a loaded bucket from the loading position to the loaded bucket position an empty bucket will move from the empty bucket position to the loading position. On the floor Hi and preferably between the two openings 20 there is a switch box 33 mounted on a pedestal and within reach of the operator who hooks the bails M on to the conveyer IO, N and unhooks them therefrom. The various manually operable switches and controls of the electrical circuit hereinafter described are contained in the switch box 33.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings the hydraulic circuit is shown together with the various control solenoids and switches of the electrical circuit of Fig. 5. Both the hydraulic and electrical circuits will be described principally in conjunction with a description of one cycle of operation of the system.

The hydraulic circuit includes a tank 34 for the hydraulic fluid and a pump 35 which derives fluid from the tank 34 and delivers it to a pressure conduit, pipe or line 36 through a volume flow control valve designated FC which is of standard construction and may be manually adjusted to provide any predetermined volume of hydraulic fluid flow in the pressure line 36.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5 of the drawings it will be seen that the electrical circuit includes three lines designated Ll, L2 and L3 which connect it to a three phase source of electrical power and which may be connected to a motor 31 which drives the pump 35. To start the motor 31 the operator will push a normally open switch button 38 which will close a circuit through a normally closed stop switch 39 in circuit with the contacts of an overload relay 40 to energize the coil of starting relay 4|; the circuit, of course, extending from one of the buses LI to a bus L3 connected to the main lines LI and L3 through a three pole disconnect switch. An obvious holding circuit is provided for the relay 4| which includes the normally closed stop switch 39. Thus by opening said normally closed switch 39 the relay 4| may be deenergized to stop the motor 3! and pump 35. Indicator light 42 is controlled by the relay 4| so that it is energized whenever relay 4| is energized.

When the pump 35 is in operation to deliver hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic system, a cycle of operation may be considered as starting by raising the ram or elevator 39 to receive an empty bucket l5. To accomplish this a normally open push button switch 43 is closed which closes a circuit to the solenoid S2 of a hydraulic valve 44 (see Fig. 4). Solenoid S2 when thus energized effects the actuation of the core of said valve 44 to expand or raise the ram, cylinder or elevator 30 in the following manner. Valve 44 may be a standard four- Way valve with an open center position. As a consequence, hydraulic fluid which is delivered to the pressure pipe 36 (see Fig. 4) will flow through a solenoid operated valve 45 which is spring-biased to a position to connect line 36 with a feed line, pipe or conduit 46. Line 46 connects to the center feed port of valve 44 and when it is in its normal, neutral or central position it provides a no load by-pass by way of tank pipe or conduit 41.

When solenoid S2 is energized, as above mentioned, this no load by-pass normally provided by valve 44 is extinguished and the hydraulic fluid is diverted from the line 46 to a line, pipe or conduit 48 which leads through a valve 49 to the lower cylinder port of the ram or elevator 3D. The conduit 46 also extends beyond the valve 44 to the top port of said cylinder of ram 3|]. Due, however, to the difference in area between the two sides of the piston of the ram 3|], as provided by the piston rod 58 thereof, said ram or elevator 30 will lift or expand, the fluid above said piston being forced back into the pipe 46.

It may be stated that the valve 49 is a standard valve and is so constructed that fluid may flow freely through it toward the ram 30 while the reverse flow is held by a pressure relief check valve which will normally look the ram 30 in any position to which it is adjusted. This check valve, however, will open in case pressure is supplied from the pump 35 to the line 46 if the line 48 is connected to drain. This condition will be effected by the energization of solenoid SI to lower the elevator 30 as hereinafter described.

It is evident by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings that the raising operation for the elevator 33 will take place only so long as the operator maintains the manual switch 43 closed. After the elevator 3!! has been raised a desired amount its platen or head 3! will lift a slowly moving bucket 45 sufficiently to take the weight thereof from the elevator I0, I etc., so that the operator can unhook the bail l4 thereof from the chain and hook I 3. An empty bucket is therefore sitting on the head or platen 3| of the elevator 36 which is located at the empty bucket position.

The operator then pushes a manual double contact switch 5| which has a pair of normally open contacts and a pair of normally closed contacts, thereby closing the normally open contacts and opening the normally closed contacts. Closing of the normally open contacts energizes relay CR| Relay CRI will remain energized over a holding circuit including a conductor 51, the

-: upper 'normallyclosed contacts'of relay-CR and thesupp'ernormally. open- 'icontacts' of'relay CR! =until elevator 30 is completely' 'do wn or "con- H -tracted; Relay CR1 energizes solenoids I' directly over an obvious circuit- Sole'noid 'Si actuates I he valve 44 when thus-actuated also connects pressure-pipe '45 with the-port leading to a pipe, :conduit--or line 52' which leads to the feed p'ort of a. right-handfour-way valve 53 which controls ram or -elevator 32. Theieedport of this valve is normally: closed; consequently under "the as- "sumed conditions this hydraulic pressure has no efiect on elevator 3z at this time. Conduit --exterids to theupper-port of the cylinder 32 whi'ch e-provides pressure -to overcome pressurarelief valve t9 and contract elevator 39 as' aforesaid. When the elevator-30-is completely lowered,

thus lowering empty-bucket l5 into'an' empty bucket position on i the turntable '-'=platform '22 where said bucket l 5-is relieved from thehead iii ;of velevator-38, thenormally' open limit switch LSI'lsee Figs. 4 and-5)-is closed. This energizes --relay GR2 over a circuit including' now closed switch LSl, the upper normally closed-contacts of az-push button switch-5 1, the lower contacts of relay CR! which arestill closed when switch LS l :is thus'closed", and the upper-normally closed contacts ofa'relay- CR3.

--Relay CR2 upon energizing closes anobvious "circuit-to solenoid S41, this circuit-including the normally closed lower contacts of switch 5 l which willbe closedrupon elevatortfireachingTthe bottom of its stroke. =-Solenoid S S-"upon being energized actuates *valve"-53 to connect line "52 througha port-leading to pipe, conduit'orline 55 which extends to the lower port of the cylinder of elevator 32-through-a va1ve'55 which is similar in construction and function 'to the valve ES controlling said elevator 32 in the 'same 'manher that valve 49 controls elevator 30.

Due--to the differential action on the: piston of the elevator-32 provided by the'above' described actuation'of valve '53, elevatorBZ will raise or expand and will elevate a filled bucket which is at the filled bucket-position on the turntable 22. This filledbucket-will be raised through'one mally open contacts of limit switch LS3 which is controlled by the hydraulic motor-2T4 rotating the turntable. Ehat' isithe' pinion gear of -the motor which-meshes withlhe ring gear 2 5 carries an so that said gear will make one' revolution-when" ever motor film-energized and then automatically shut off by operating-limit switch LS3. As above mentioned, one 'revohition of' this gear will produce a quarterof a-revol-utionpf turntable platform -22.

-ReIay- CRS upon being; energized breaks "the r ..sholding circuit- '1-or'-* relay -"GR2"which drops out and -"de-erier'gizes solenoid sd alld valve "53" tore'tu'rnto itshormal" 'tion. -It also closes a h'o'lling' 'circiiit for itself 'over its second contact through n'dwcl osed normally open contacts of switch LS3. It alsoener- -gizes-solenoid- S5 which actuates -the' valve 53 to contractor lower-the hydraulid ram 32. This lowering e is effected since when solenoid S5" is energized the conduit or'pipe' 55 is" connected to "check" valve 5t-and contract or lower the ram or elevator- 32. This action -is=-'aiitomatic and continues until said elevator-"is completely" contra'cted with its; head oi platen belo\v the"turntable platform 22.

When thuscontracted, elevator 32" will-close normally open switch LS2 which'will enrgize relay CR over an obvious circuitincluding the lower normally open' contacts of nowenrg'iaed relay CR3.

It may be mentioned at-this time that there; is a hydraulic interlock provided asab'ove' described so that hydraulic fluid under pressure-is'deliveied to the conduit 52 only'when valve is actuated to lower the ram 39. Thus it isiinpossible to elevate or expand the elevator or-"r"am'-32 'Xcept when" elevator or rain Sit-is contractedor lowered, since relay CR2 which controls Sa -is only energized when limit switch LS lis cltjsed.

Relay CR u on-energizia nn energize-solenoid S3 over an obvious circuit-* includingits two upper contacts. Solenoid maison tte: previously mentioned spring biased-valve Mind-*diverts the fluid pressure in the-Iine SE -from the i pipe or conduit 16 to pipe, line or conduit fiil.

which is now connected by verve iii 'toadrain line 62. The check Valve- 6! is merelya one way check valve" which prevents hydraulic -fluid flowing from the pipe 56 to'the pipe Sdbutpermits free flow offluid in-the revrse 'direc tion. Because of "it the'pre'viously dscribedpresence of hydraulic fluid under pressure' inthe conduit 45 will not'rotate the motor 2 i, whild'the presence of hydraulicfluid in conduit tii,"with conduit 60 connected to tank through conduits and 32 v and valve i5,'-will'provide-for rotationof the motor Z land the turntable platform 22. Turntable platform 22"-is' thereforealways rotated in one direction "which will be"counter-clockwise, as

viewed in Fig. 2 of the'drawihgs.

Simultaneously with the energization of motor 24 and; the consequent"rotation of'the turntable platform 22 9'0 the relay CRe and its'normally open bottom contacts will break 'the'electrioal circuit tothe vibratory motor flgof the conveyer Shy the cOnveyer l8 While the turntable platform 22 is rotating. M

It is, or course,evidentfthat'the SW-rotation of theturntable" platform 22' is td'deliver en'napty bucket thereon from "the empty bucket position, which is'the top position {of "Fig. 2,

to the bucket filling position, which "is the 'left hand' position or Fig. in which 'thebucket "isloca'ted to receive castings'f'rom the vibratory conveyer' l8. 7 l H delivers "a 'filldbu'ck't ifi from the bucket fillin This rotation also 'sim'ultaneously position adjacent the conveyer I8 to the filled bucket position, which is the bottom position of Fig. 2, so that the filled bucket will be in posit1on to be elevated by the elevator 32 as above described.

It may also be mentioned that the electrical circuit for the motor IQ of the conveyer 18 includes a. manual switch 63 which will normally be closed upon starting of the pump driving motor 31 and a normally open switch LS4, as well as the normally closed contacts of relay CR4. Limit switch LS4 is mounted adjacent the bucket filling position and carries a flexible actuating arm which is adapted to be contacted by a bucket IS on the turntable platform .22. It will be closed only when there is such a bucket on the turntable platform 22 adjacent the bucket filling position.

Shortly after the motor 24 is energized and the turntable platform 22 begins to turn, the limit switch LS3 controlled by the cam on the pinion of motor 24, as above described, will actuate limit switch LS3 to close its normally closed contacts and open its normally open contacts. The normally open contacts of switch LS3 on opening de-energize the relay CR3 and its normally closed contatcs close to energize relay CR5 over an obvious circuit. Relay CR5 upon being energized breaks the previously mentioned holding circuit for relay CRI over its upper contacts, thus dropping out relay CR1 which dc-energizes solenoid SI and returns the hydraulic valve M to its neutral by-passing position. At its lower normally closed contacts relay CR5 on being energized closes the holding circuit for the relay CR4 over an obvious path.

When the pinion gear on motor 24 has made one revolution its cam will actuate switch LS3 to close the normally open contacts thereof and open the normally closed contacts. Opening of the normally closed contacts will de-energize re lay CR5 which will break the holding circuit of rela CR4 which will be de-energized because relay CR3 de-energized at this time either because the normally open contacts of switch 55 are opened or because the normally open contacts of LS3 are opened, as above described. This completes a cycle of operation and a new cycle may be initiated as was the cycle described.

It may be pointed out that there are a number of safety features included in the system of my invention. First of all, it is impossible to rotate or index the turntable platform 22 while either of the elevators 30 or 32 is up or expanded, It is to be noted that solenoid S3 controls the turntable motor 24. Solenoid S3 is energized when and only when relay CR5 is energized. Relay CR4 can only be energized when switch LS2 is closed which requires that the elevator 32 be down or contracted. Said relay CR5 can also only be energized when CR3 is energized or when CR5 is energized. CR5 can be energized only after the turntable platform 22 starts to rotate and the normally closed contacts of switch LS3 are closed. In other words, relay CR5 can not initiate energization of relay CR4. Relay CR3 which can initiate its energization, provided LS2 is closed, can only be energized when LSl is closed. This requires that elevator 36 be in its lower or contracted position. Furthermore there is a hydraulic tie-up or interlock, which was above described, which prevents the elevation or raising of elevator 32 except when valve 44 is operated by a solenoid SI under control of relay CRI. Solenoid SI when energized, of course, controls valve 44 to lower or contract cylinder 30.

It is only under this condition that hydraulic fluid is delivered to the pipe or line 52 to permit the elevation of elevator 32. In short, elevator 32 can only be elevated when elevator 30 is down.

As a second safety feature the elevators 3| and 32 can not raise while the turntable plat form 22 is rotating or indexing. This is because rotation of motor 24 is governed by valve 45 controlled by solenoid S3. When valve 45 is energized so as to supply hydraulic fluid to rotate motor 24, line or conduit 46 is connected to drain line 62. Thus there is no hydraulic fluid .under pressure in the line 46 which is an essential condition to the elevation or expansion of either of the hydraulic elevators 30, 32.

The vibratory feeder can be stopped at any time independent of the rest of the apparatus by the operator opening the switch 63 which may be simply a standard snap switch mounted in the switch box 33.

From the above description it is evident that I have produced a very flexible apparatus or system for delivering cleaned castings to a trolley conveyer system after they have been freed of the mold sand, the system being particularly easy to operate and involving a minimum of manual labor consistent with an eflicient handling of the castings.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A foundry system for handling castings including a trolley system adapted to carry removable buckets to and from a turntable position, removable buckets for said system, a turntable positioned below said trolley constructed to support removable buckets at definite positions including an empty bucket position, a loaded bucket position and a bucket loading position between them, said first two positions being diametrically opposite each other, means for lowering a released bucket to said empty bucket position and on said turntable, means for loading castings to the bucket on said turntable which is in the bucket loading position, means for elevating the bucket at the loaded bucket position whereby it may be attached to said trolley system, said lowering and elevating means including upwardly and downwardly movable rams extending through holes in said turntable over which holes the buckets sit, and means for rotating said turntable to move an empty bucket from the empty bucket position to the bucket loading position and simultaneously move a loaded bucket from the bucket loading position to the loaded bucket position.

2. A foundry system for handling castings including a trolley system adapted to carry removable buckets to and from a turntable position, removable buckets for said system, a turntable positioned below said trolley constructed to support removable buckets at definite positions including an empty bucket position, a loaded bucket position and a bucket loading position between them, means for lowering 2. released bucket to said empty bucket position and on said turntable, means for loading castings to the bucket on said turntable which is in the bucket loading position, means for elevating the bucket at the loaded bucket position whereby it may be attached to said trolley system, said lowering and elevating means including upwardly and down; wardly movable rams extending through holes in said turntable over which holes the buckets sit, and means for rotating said turntable to move an empty bucket from the empty bucket position to the bucket loading position and simultaneously move a loaded bucket from the bucket loading position to the loaded bucket position.

3. A foundry system for handling castings including a trolley system adapted to carry removable buckets to and from a turntable position, removable buckets for said system, a turn-' table positioned below said trolley constructed to support removable buckets at definite positions including an empty bucket position, a loaded bucket position and a bucket loading position between them, means for lowering a released bucket to said empty bucket position and on said turntable, means for loading castings to the bucket on said turntable which is in the bucket loading position, means for elevating the bucket at the loaded bucket position whereby it may be attached to said trolley system, and switch means preventing operation of said casting loading means except when a bucket is in said bucket loading position and said turntable is stationary.

4. A foundry system for handling castings including a trolley system adapted to carry removable buckets to and from a turntable position, removable buckets for said system, a turntable positioned below said trolley constructed to support removable buckets at definite positions including an empty bucket position, a loaded bucket position and a bucket loading position between them, means for lowering a released bucket to said empty bucket position and on said turntable, means for loading castings to the bucket on said turntable which is in the bucket loading position, means for elevating the bucket at the loaded bucket position whereby it may be attached to said trolley system, and control mechanism operable to prevent raising or lowering of said buckets except when said turntable is stationary.

5. A foundry system for handling castings including a trolley system adapted to carry removable buckets to and from a turntable position, removable buckets for said system, a turntable positioned below said trolley constructed to support removable buckets at definite positions including an empty bucket position, a loaded bucket position and a bucket loading position between them, means for lowering a released bucket to said empty bucket position and on said turntable, means for loading castings to the bucket on said turntable which is in the bucket loading position, means for elevating the bucket at the loaded bucket position whereby it may be attached to said trolley system, said lowering and elevating means including upwardly and downwardly movable rams extending through holes in said turntable over which holes the buckets sit, and means for rotating said turntable to move an empty bucket from the empty bucket position to the bucket loading position and simultaneously move a loaded bucket from the bucket loading position to the loaded bucket position, said ram elevating and lowering means including hydraulic cylinders and control valves therefor.

ALTON E. MOSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 903,423 Williams et al Nov. 10, 1908 2,451,975 Rayburn et a1. Oct. 19, 1948 

